Follow your own path
by spn22
Summary: This story is actually more than one and it all depends which path you want to follow. You determine the Winchesters fate and it could lead to either victory or defeat. Which path will you take them down? Path 1 or Path 2? The choice is yours. Or why not be rebellious and take both?
1. Prologue The path begins

_This story is actually more than one and it all depends which path you want to follow. You determine the Winchesters fate and it could lead to either victory or defeat. Which path will you take them down? Path 1 or Path 2? The choice is yours. Or why not be rebellious and take both? _

_Set around season 5._

_I own nothing...sadly._

YOUR PATH STARTS HERE.

PROLOGUE

Sam sighed loudly as he fell onto the hotel bed. Every part of his body ache, his brain was on overdrive and he felt like he hadn't slept properly in weeks. Probably a sound assessment.

Dean cast a quick, expert glance over his little brother and chuckled.

"My God, Sammy. Do you need a couple of days off? Am I expecting a call tomorrow to say that you're pulling a sickie?"

Sam ignored his big brothers mocking and propped himself up onto his elbows. "It's just caught up with me dude, that's all."

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Wimp"

"You're not tired?"

"Tired? You kidding me? The night's just begun, Sammy boy!"

Sam groaned, knowing what was coming next.

"Drink?" Dean asked innocently.

Sam threw a pillow at him and turned back onto his stomach.

"Sleep is all I want right now, Dean."

"Like, I said, wimp."

"Dick."

Dean shrugged indifferently and threw the pillow back at his brother's head.

"More whisky for me."

"Knock yourself out."

Dean glanced at Sam again. His brother's voice indicated that he was already well on his way to slumber town. Dean would never admit it to Sam but he had been worried about his little brother for a couple of days now. Sam's dedication and eagerness couldn't be faulted but he had moved a little slower and Dean had been on extra alert for the both of them. A break was most definitely needed, disaster or no.

"A break from things that go bump in the night tomorrow I think, Sam. Booze, dancing and loose women sound good to you?"

Sam let out an incoherent reply and Dean grinned.

"Night Sammy."

"Nigh' Dea'."

Dean looked fondly at his brother and turned to the whisky bottle. Straight it was tonight.

Dean had just allowed himself to fall into relaxed mode. A feature that he didn't allow himself to fall into often. He raised the bottle to his lips, eager for the numbness that it gave him. His escape from the horrors that he still tried to bury deep inside himself.

Then his cell rang.

Unknown number.

Dean closed his eyes.

_No. Just leave it. _

The cell persisted to ring.

_Leave it._

The cell rang determinedly.

_Shit._

He banged the bottle down, hard enough for Sam to stir in his sleep.

"Yeah?" Dean kept his voice low, trying not to wake his brother.

"Dean Winchester?" A young-sounding female voice answered him.

"Who's asking?

"A friend."

"Don't have many of those."

"A friend of a friend."

Dean closed his eyes.

"Listen. I'm tired. I'm not in the mood for mind games. Just tell me what you want or I'm hanging up the phone. I have a hot date tonight" he added, glancing at the whisky bottle.

"I know Castiel"

Dean sat up a bit straighter in his chair.

"Cas?

"Yeah...he told me where to contact you."

"Right. Why did he do that?"

"He said you could help me."

"With what?"

"Not now."

Dean ran a hand over his face, glanced wistfully at the whisky bottle and tried to control his voice

_Thanks Cas. Thanks a lot._

"So when?"

"When we're face to face."

"And you are?"

"Not now."

Dean didn't even try to hide his groan of frustration.

"Why should I meet you 'face to face'?"

"Because I have some information that might concern you."

"Yeah? Concerning what?"

"Your brother."

Dean's blood ran cold.

"Don't bullshit me."

"I'm not, um, bull shitting you."

"You're very brave to mention Sammy to me. " Dean's voice was hard.

"Your brother is in danger."

Dean irrationally glanced over at Sam to reassure himself that he was still in the bed.

"Where and when?"

"The Reef bar. Ten minutes. It's five minutes from your hotel."

Dean paused. "How do you know where we're..."

The phone clicked off.

Dean stared at it as if it would give him some more clues.

Danger. Sam.

He decided in the split second it took him to stand up that Sam was not coming. As reluctant as he was after the news he had received to leave his brother, he knew Sam was in no state to even talk to a client let alone help them.

He shook himself once, grabbed his coat from behind the chair and flung it over his shoulders.

He began scribbling Sam a note in case he woke up.

_Sam,_

_Gone out for a drink, won't be long._

_Dean._

"Yeah, Dean, whatever."

Dean turned round to see a blurry eyed Sam staring back at him.

"I heard you on the phone."

"So?"

"So, you're not going alone. I'm coming."

"The hell you are. You look like you're auditioning for Dawn of the Dead."

"You're not going alone, Dean."

FOLLOW PATH 1 IF YOU THINK SAM SHOULD STAY AT THE HOTEL

FOLLOW PATH 2 IF YOU THINK SAM SHOULD GO WITH DEAN.

_Both paths will be posted when I have the time :) Any comments or suggestions are very welcome, thank you! xx_


	2. Path 1: Chapter 1

PATH 1: Chapter 1

_This is chapter 1 of path 1. Path 2: Chapter 1 will be with you as soon as possible._

_Enjoy! Any reviews/suggestions/request for future stories are VERY appreciated :) xx_

"You're not going alone, Dean."

"Sam, Goddamit it!"

Dean sounded so like their father than Sam felt a chill going through him.

Dean dragged a hand across his face.

"I want you to listen to me, Sam. I'm going to sort this case. Sounds like a wacko-case anyway. You are going to stay here. You are going to sleep. I'll call you in an hour. I probably won't even be that long. Understood?"

"Dean.."

"Sam! I don't have time for this."

"I'm coming with you, Dean! This is about me. I heard you on the phone. This whole thing...it's do with me".

"It's probably nothing, Sam. A wacko, like I said."

"So I'll come as back-up."

Dean sighed loudly.

"You'll slow me down, Sam."

Sam looked at him, unable to hide the hurt in his eyes.

Dean's stomach flipped slightly but his voice remained steady.

"You forced me to say it, dude. You're tired. You're not your usual self. You're not going to help me. Honestly? You're going to slow me down."

Sam remained silent, his eyes averted moodily to the floor.

"An hour okay?" Dean's voice was softer. "Tops."

With that, he left the room, knowing all too well that Sam wouldn't be able to sleep now, exhausted or not.

* * *

Dean shut the hood of the Impala. Despite his false reassurances to Sam, Dean wanted to be prepared.

He decided to walk the small distance to the Reef Bar. His eyes expertly moved from side to side as he walked. It felt strange not having Sam at his side but whatever guilt he felt was quickly diminished. He had done the right thing. Sam was running on empty. Dean wasn't his father, grinding them into the ground. Sam was his brother, first and foremost- and Sam needed to rest.

Dean's face involuntary turned into a frown as he turned a corner. There The Reef bar stood as the caller had said.

Yet the windows were boarded and the lights were firmly off.

A pint hadn't been pulled at The Reef for a long, long time.

Yet a lone customer stood at the entrance, cigarette in hand, a smile curling at her lips as she noticed him.

"Dean Winchester?"

* * *

Sam paced the floor, his sleep forgotten.

_Shit._

He sat down on the bed, Dean swimming in his thoughts.

How could it be so possible to be pissed off with his brother and be so concerned for him at the same time?

Tired? So what if he was tired?

Didn't make him useless. It made him human.

Before Sam could reflect too long on these thoughts he heard footsteps approaching the hotel room.

_Back already?_

Sam's conflicting thoughts continued.

Relief and disdain. Neither lasted long.

A sudden, sharp pain gripped at Sam's chest. He cried out, the pain crippling him to the floor. He didn't try to move. The pain too quick and too great.

The footsteps got closer. Footsteps that didn't belong to his brother.

The pain spread unnaturally fast. His brain felt too big for his head, almost as though it was trying to escape from his body. It pounded with no second of relief. He saw stars before him...the darkness wasn't far away.

_Dean..._

He was five years old.

_"Dean...I've got a headache."_

_"I know, Sammy."_

_"Ow, owww Dean. It hurts. It hurts!"_

_"I know, Sammy. Shhh. Try and sleep. It won't hurt if you sleep."_

_"But it hurts so bad, Dean. Daddy won't listen. Daddy says I'm a...I'm a wimp!"_

_"Come here."_

_A hand through his hair, resting on his forehead. A whimper._

_"Stay with me, Dean. It hurts. I'm scared."_

_"Shhh. I'm not going anywhere...shhh, Sammy. It's alright. It's alright."_

"Dean!"

A soft, female voice answered him.

"Dean's dead, Sam. Where were you?"

* * *

PATH 1: CHAPTER 2 COMING SOON.

FOR ALL WANTING TO TAKE PATH 2, CHAPTER 1 WILL BE UP SOON.


	3. Path 2: Chapter 1

**PATH 2**

**CHAPTER 1**

"You're not going alone, Dean."

"Sam, Goddamit it!"

Dean sounded so like their father than Sam felt a chill going through him.

Dean dragged a hand across his face.

"I want you to listen to me, Sam. I'm going to sort this case. Sounds like a wacko-case anyway. You are going to stay here. You are going to sleep. I'll call you in an hour. I probably won't even be that long. Understood?"

"Dean.."

"Sam! I don't have time for this."

"I'm coming with you, Dean! This is about me. I heard you on the phone. This whole thing...it's do with me".

Dean paused.

"That's why I need you stay, Sam. I need to sort this. Whatever the hell it is...I have to protect you from it. It's my..."

"If you say 'job' I'm going to kill you."

Dean sighed.

"You're not going to shut up are you?"

Sam shook his head.

"You got your gun?"

"Of course."

Dean shut his eyes.

"Stick by me. No splitting up. No diversions."

"I'm not five, Dean."

"I noticed, Gigantor. You're hardly in the land of the living either. Stick by me."

* * *

Sam was trying very hard not to breathe too loudly. He didn't want Dean to notice how much the short walk to The Reef was taking out of him.

"You alright, Sasquatch?"

Sam should have known better. Dean noticed everything. At least he was concerned and not pissed off.

"Yeah" Sam breathed. "You?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "_I'm _fine."

Sam nodded, quickly deciding not to waste his breath coming up with a repost. Instead, he raised his eyebrows as Dean took a long gulp from some bottled water.

"Hey! Is that the bottled water from the mini bar?"

Dean nodded, still drinking.

"For crying out loud, Dean! Why didn't you just use the frigging tap? That's probably costing us $10 per sip!"

"So what?" Dean shrugged. "Fake money. Fake bill. How does it hurt us exactly? You're the health freak. Water is life right, Sammy boy?"

Sam couldn't come up with a fast enough response and Dean grinned to himself.

The small, brotherly victory didn't last long.

A sudden, sharp pain gripped at Dean's chest. He cried out, the pain crippling him to the floor. He didn't try to move. The pain too quick and too great.

"Dean!"

Sam was at his side in an instant.

Dean couldn't even try to hide the pain. It was excruciating. It reached every part of his body. His head screamed. It took him a while to realise the screaming he heard was coming from his own mouth.

His head left the cold floor and on to Sam's lap. This small movement was enough to make his head feel like it was going to explode.

Who could survive this kind of pain?

He felt Sam's hand through his hair and falling onto his forehead. His little brother's scared voice, trying to be brave.

"Dean? Shhh. Stop screaming. I'm here. I'm here. Tell me where it hurts. Dean? Please?"

Dean's voice shook.

"Oh God, it hurts Sammy." He turned over as he gagged.

"Shhh, I got you Dean. I got you."

"It's not...not suppose'...suppose' to be like this."

Sam's hands shook as he continued to stroke his brother's hair.

"'S what I use' to do for you, Sammy...when...when you had a headache."

Sam gave him a watery smile.

"I know."

Dean was becoming a dead weight in his arms.

"Dean! Stay awake!" Sam felt his voice cracking.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Sammy."

"Dean! I...I don't understand..."

The two brothers looked into each others faces, searching for comfort and answers but both seeing worry and confusion reflecting back.

Neither noticed the footsteps approaching.

"Sam and Dean Winchester?"

* * *

_Path 1:Chapter 2 coming soon_

_Path 2: Chapter 2 coming soon_


	4. Path 1:Chapter 2

_This chapter is for ncsupnatfan- thanks for the review! :)_

* * *

"Dean!"

A soft, female voice answered him.

"Dean's dead, Sam. Where were you?"

Sam froze. His voice caught in his throat. He was thankful that the initial pain had brought him to the floor. He wasn't sure his legs would have been able to support him.

"What?" Sam's voice barely reached above a whisper.

The woman, who looked no more than early thirties, smirked.

"Dead. Deceased. Passed on. Que pasa?"

Sam shook his head.

"You're lying."

"Interesting." The girl picked at her fingernails. "You've known me five minutes and you've decided I'm a liar. It's not usually people's first impression of me."

"And what's that?" Sam asked, his voice still barely audible.

"A bitch."

Sam tried to stand up but a fresh pain brought him back down to the floor.

"Where's my brother?" Sam's voice showed no emotion, making it even more menacing, despite his weakened state.

The girl rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were meant to be the intelligent Winchester? Law school, right?"

Sam continued to stare at her, the corner of his lips flickering.

"HE'S. DEAD."

Sam brought his hand to the floor.

"NO HE ISN'T!"

The girl laughed.

"Calm down, Sammy boy."

Sam didn't look at her. "Don't call me that."

"What? Sammy or boy?"

"Sammy. Don't... don't call me that."

The girl sat down cross-legged on the floor and let out a small laugh.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?"

Sam pressed his head to the floor; pain, grief and confusion overwhelming him.

"You should never take things from the mini bar."

Sam didn't raise his head.

"What?"

"The mini-bar, Sam-MY. Expensive and...who knows what they've actually put in that bottle?"

Sam slowly raised his head.

"Was it the water or the wine that you had?"

"What did you do?"

She smiled that annoying smile.

"Funny... you're brother asked me the same question before he croaked."

A small noise involuntary escaped Sam's throat.

The girl leant in, her breath ticking his ear.

"Funny what paths you choose Sam. If you hadn't have been such a goody-two-shoes maybe you could have saved him."

Sam lashed out pathetically which only made her laugh more.

"And if he wasn't so gullible thinking his darling Sammy was in trouble he would be here now to save you. The irony is wonderful."

Sam let out a gasp as a tear fell down his cheek.

"My one issue is... it was far too easy." She sighed.

"How...how...did Dean?"

The girl grinned.

"What? Die? You believed all that Sam?"

Sam raised his head, ignoring the pain for the first time.

Wha'...what?"

"Pain makes us so gullible. So defenceless."

"What...is Dean?..."

"I was just killing time Sammy boy."

"What...what?!"

"Like I said, Sam. Killing. Time."

* * *

_Path 1: Chapter 2 coming soon_

_Path 2: Chapter 2 coming soon_


	5. Path 2: Chapter 2

_Thank you for the reviews! :) Much love and high fives to you all! xxx_

* * *

"Sam and Dean Winchester?"

Dean tried to answer and Sam put a hand on his brothers shoulder

"Shh. Don't try to speak" he said softly.

"Sam and Dean Winchester?" the woman repeated in the same melodious voice.

Sam cleared his throat.

"Who's asking?"

The woman merely smiled.

"Who are you to ask?" she said coyly

At that moment, Dean began to cough violently, each one making his body crease up into a ball.

"Dean!"

Sam pulled his brother closer to his chest. Dean looked up at him and Sam shivered. It was rare that he saw his brother look like that. The determined look in his brothers eyes had gone. He now looked lost, confused but his eyes stayed fixed on Sam's; pleading, frightened and begging for his brother to make the pain go away. It wasn't usually this way around.

"Would you like me to describe your brother's pain to you?"

Sam ignored her, not breaking his brothers gaze.

"Dean, look at me, listen to me. Just me. Nobody else. Okay?"

Dean gave a small nod, unable to talk.

"Your big brother is in agony, Sam. He wants to answer you, lie and say he's okay. That the pain isn't that bad. The truth is Sam, his head feels like blades are slowly entering into his skull and then sliding out again. Slowly."

Sam tried desperately to ignore the horrifying words and tried to get Dean, whose eyes were slowly shutting, to stay focused on his.

"Dean! Dean! Look at me! Stay awake!" He shook his brother in his arms.

"When you shake him like that the pain intensifies. It goes through his body. He feels violently sick. His stomach is twisting in his gut."

"Dean!" Sam's voice shook as he absorbed the woman's voice.

"He can't talk. His throat has closed up. It's difficult for him to breathe. He's scared. So very scared. Not for himself. For you. Always for you. He doesn't want you to watch him die. It reminds him when you died in his arms. He doesn't want you to go through the pain that he did."

Sam sobbed and hugged Dean to his chest, his head in Dean's hair.

"He wants to tell you to stop crying. It's going to be okay. That he loves you. That you should run. You need to leave him. No matter what I say whatever deals I offer you, you have to ignore them. Run. Go and find Castiel."

"No. No."

"Let him sleep, Sam." For the first time she sounded genuine. She crouched down so that she was on the same level as the brothers. Her voice was soft. "Let him sleep and the pain will go away."

"No!" Sam sobbed, unable to stop the tears that had been threatening to spill. Dean looked up at him, tears forming in the corners of his own eyes. "He was fine ten minutes ago! This can't happen!" He looked down at Dean and gently, but with a shaking hand, began stroking his hair again.

_Don't cry, Sammy. _

"Dean" He was openly crying now, ignoring the woman's presence.

_It's okay, little brother. _

"You can take him away from the pain, Sam... "

For the first time, Sam took his gaze away from his big brother, shuddering in his arms and looked at the woman.

He shook his head.

"I can't let him die". His voice cracked and was barely audible.

She smiled, the remorse very quickly gone.

"No, no. He'll live."

Sam looked at her properly. She was no older than twenty-five but her face seemed to have a wisdom about it. Her eyes defied her age. Her eyes had seen a lot.

"How?"

She stood up.

"You enter The Reef with me."

Sam glanced at the boarded up building.

Sam frowned at her.

"It's closed."

"Not for everyone."

Sam shifted his brother in his arms.

"I go into the building with you and then what?"

She shrugged.

"I don't even know what will happen. What I do know is I have been promised an antidote."

"An antidote?"

"For the Brother in Pain."

"From who?"

Another shrug.

Sam looked back down at his brother.

_No, Sammy, no. Don't go. _

Sam looked back at him.

"I'm going to save you, Dean"

Dean wriggled in his arms, his eyes protesting.

"Like you would do for me."

He looked up at the woman.

"I'll go with you."


	6. BOTH PATHS

A FLASHBACK

_A small boy sobs._

_He has chicken-pox. His skin itches. His head hurts. He feels sick_

_His dad has told him not to moan. Everyone has chicken-pox. Everyone has to carry on. Everyone one has to hold the tears back._

_But not everyone has to watch their father leave the room and not know when they'll be back to say everything will be okay._

_But not everyone has a big brother like Sam's._

_As his father leaves the house, the tears fall._

_A big brother runs to the bed._

_A little brother cries._

_"Don't cry, Sammy."_

_"Owie, Dean."_

_"I know, Sammy."_

_"Daddy says you never had chicken poxxy"_

_"I never caught it."_

_"Stop hugging me Dean"_

_"Why?"_

_"Or you will get chicken poxxy too."_

_The arms pull around Sam harder so that they are even closer._

_"I don't care, Sammy."_


End file.
